It was unclear exactly how the blow up doll ended up among the machinery, tools and trucks of the city garage, 114 E. 35th St.

Fowler wrote that Evans was suspended "as a result of your failure to properly dispose of the blow up doll and your failure to investigate how the doll was in the city garage," according to his Oct. 29 letter to Evans.

The incident was "particularly egregious," Fowler said, because the name "Paul" was written across the doll's stomach. Evans knew another garage worker, Paul Pentito, was disciplined during the summer for posting an inappropriate sign at the garage, according to Fowler's letter and city records.

"Despite this fact and the potential for retaliation, the matter of the blow up doll was neither reported to this department nor properly investigated," Fowler wrote.

"Further, the lack of investigation into the incident on or about Aug. 27, 2012, would have led to discipline and discovery of the ongoing horseplay in the garage," Fowler wrote. "An investigation would have uncovered the June 18, 2012, incident where the aforementioned doll was taped to the tool box of a new probationary employee. All the behavior described above is unacceptable and has led to utter chaos in the City Garage."

Evans was suspended without pay for 30 days from Oct. 30 to Dec. 10 and ordered to not receive any holiday pay, according to Fowler's ruling.

Evans was placed on paid administrative leave on Oct. 10 while the city administration investigated the incidents, according to city records.

Evans joined the city in 2005 as a custodian and in 2007 was promoted to building maintenance superintendent responsible for operations and grounds at Lorain City Hall.

Evans's work leading City Hall maintenance earned letters of praise from former Mayor Tony Krasienko and former deputy safety-service director Joe Arendt; former Mayor Craig Foltin; and the Lorain Police Department.

He has experience in automotive repair and also had letters of recommendation from private sector businesses in 2007, when he applied to become building maintenance superintendent, according to the records of his personnel file.